Dubai flying taxis are here!
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (PNN) - July 12, 2017 - The future is here.
Well, almost. In February at the World Government Summit in Dubai, Chinese drone maker EHANG and Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced a partnership to produce an autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) - know as the EHANG184 - to aid in Dubai's efforts to build the world's most intelligent transportation system.
This month, RTA has begun conducting trial runs of the flying taxi at the test site of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority.
In a video uploaded to YouTube by EHANG, an AAV can be seen flying in close proximity to the Burj Khalifa. Engineers and technicians can also be seen monitoring flight data, as well as the AAV's on-board camera and a map showing its flight path.
According to its specifications, the 3.9-meter long, 4.02-meter wide and 1.60 meter tall aircraft weights 360 kilograms with a passenger, and can cruise at an altitude of up to 3,000 meters.
The EHANG184 is designed to operate for up to 30 minutes at a speed of 160 kilometers per hour, with a standard operating speed of about 100 kilometers per hour. Additionally, the EHANG's fail-safe system allows the aircraft to land at the nearest possible area if any components malfunction or disconnect while in flight. The 184 also comes equipped with a touch-screen monitor in which passengers can track their flight.
We can't wait to try it out.
